I just found this book in my moms pile of books she’s donating!! She doesn’t need to know I stole it hehe

The intro was everything 🥺

Snow country is one of my favourite novels, and Kawabata my favourite writer. Been waiting for this video since it's mentioning in a previous one, and I'm not disappointed ! Just some of my own thoughts: Kawabata, as you mentioned, was orphaned at a young age, he spends a lot of time in boarding schools and during holidays, at his relatives' (who were kind and caring to him I do think). In a way I think he never felt at home at any places, and always a wandering visitor. I believe that amongst these unsettling circumstances, at a young age, he built up a wall around himself, a polite facade that is meek and tactful, but really shuts himself away from most chances of genuine connections (a defence mechanism induced by trauma maybe). He was very sickly as a kid. All these factors contributed to his hyper, even pathologically sensitive, introspective, contemplative personality and a very unique view of life and fate. While in college (or a in that proximity), he was once engaged to a girl, but she canceled the engagement after being raped by a monk in a temple. I always felt this might be the most traumatising event of his formative years, largely influencing his view of love and fate, and found its way in many of his works, especially those that are centered around a girl (including snow country). In my opinion, I think a lot of his works are about people in tragic circumstances, and shows an empathy towards them. IMO, the gravity of tragic fate and how the tragedy conditions and transforms individuals is definitely one of the central themes of his work. Some more thoughts on his writing style (do note that I read his books in Chinese): Every great writer has their unique style, but I think Kawabata has a writing style that is instantly recognisable from the first sentence. Every sentence in his books seems like a quiet sigh -- a quiet, sorrowful sigh. From the Chinese translations, he almost exclusively uses short sentences, with the majority of them shorter than 12 characters (statistics unreliable) in length (which is unusually short even for a Chinese text) -- and often separated into smaller segments (which can themselves be standalone sentences) at that. He also uses really short intermittent sentences (< 5 characters.) to connect a long thought with the next thing, which I think gives his books a laid back, balanced flow. I don't think these are to do with translation. This quality is present in all of his works I read regardless of translators. And I've read works by other Japanese writers. Yukio Mishima and Natsume Sokeki for example most of the time uses long sentences with complicated structure -- possible from their influence from literature in the English language (Both studied English lit in college. Natsume was a professor in English literature. Side note: Kawabata started with English lit but transferred to Japanese lit after 1 yr in college.) But this spare style does not limit his abilities to convey emotions, expand narratives and describe environment or any number of goals a writer could wish to achieve in a novel, only strengthens them. I think Kawabata is THE best in terms of narrating a story. And the ending of the snow country? Oh man, It was so simple, but so effective, powerful and emotional, left me breathless. Just masterful. I would recommend reading The Izu Dancer. It is a short story. But I think there is also a collection of his early short stories of the same title that contains this one and also his diary from 15/16 when his grandfather died, a short story named Soushiki no Meiji (meaning Master of funerals), and other stories that was based on his real life experience that helps us reader understand the writer better. Another recommendation is The Sound of Mountains, one of my favourites (they are all my favourites in a way.) Anyway, thanks for reading, sorry if my thoughts are a little scattered. Loved the video. Love the channel. Best wishes to everyone~~~

A snow loving Canadian gushes about another book featuring snow 😆 😍

HONESTLY, THE BEST BOOK REVIEW I'VE EVER WATCHED.

i always admire your way with words, can't wait to read this book now✨

I'd like to watch a review of 100 years of solitude on this format. Love your vids x

I literally got goosebumps because of the intro🥰

You are spoiling us with all these amazing videos ❤️

I could literally listen to you read/speak for hours 🥺❤️

Hi Emma - this was really excellent! Well done, and many thanks. I just finished Snow Country yesterday, and maybe I just wasn't in the right headspace whilst reading it, but I really struggled to sink my teeth into what was happening. I think having just finished American Psycho before this, it was too much of a left turn to try reading something so subtle and understated. I loved Kawabata's 'The House of Sleeping Beauties', so I was looking forward to this, and you've really helped put the pieces together and come to a much deeper appreciation of the genius behind this work. Fantastic stuff, and please keep the reviews coming. All the best!

I really love this video and appreciate you to introduce Snow County on your channel. Your research and thoughts are wonderful. As a Japanese freshman who seek to major in literature, I am able to learn from you a lot. - I’m wondering if you intended to upload this video on March 11. This day has a special meaning for us Japanese due to the tremendous earthquake occurred ten years ago. It hit not only around the epicenter but also the area Komako and Shimamura met. I may guess too much, but I cannot finish watching this video without leaving a comment. Thank you, Emma!

your analysis of this book is so articulate and clever, I'm in awe. I also love your inserts of snow footage as you talk, it drives your point home. it's always delightful to hear your voice. thank you for giving us so much ♥

You talk in italics and I live for it ❄️

The intro was so amazing and surprising 😍 Pleaseeee keep making book reviews!

After a long, long stressful day at school, this is exactly what i needed! Love you emma, may God bless you♡♡♡

I really love your videos. Your content gives me so much happiness.Thanks for existing

you verbalised my thoughts in a way i never could have - thank you ! :)

I’d love more readings from passages in books, your voice is so beautiful and soothing.

hello Emma, i've just recently discovered your booktubes, and they are simply wonderful!! So therapeutic and informative after a busy day at school! Thank you for putting so much effort and thought into all your videos

That review was amazing! I hope you do more! I'm really looking forward to reading Snow Country. Great video! 😊❤📚

the intro the outro the content the whole video just feel like peace! I loved everything about it thank you for this amazing video

This was such a wonderful review 💖 I would love to see another one for February! Personally, I would be the most interested in one on Snow or Julius Caesar, but I would watch regardless of what book you discussed because you always bring up such interesting points even if it’s on a book I wouldn’t normally be drawn to!

living for your introduction 😭 and for the rest of the video tbh brilliant as always Emma 💖

Nice afterwork treat ! Thanks for the regular uploads these past weeks 💪🤩

Yes! We need more book review from you! I watch other few booktubers for the vlog parts and mostly skip their reviews but I always enjoy your mini reviews (during your vlogs) and the artsy clips.

This video is absolutely my favorite among all your videos. I always, do love your talking way about books. The contents you talk about books are serious and heavy but your talking style is as light and delicate as the air of the spring or sometimes as clear and crispy as that of the autumn. Thank you for your works.

Thank you so much Emma for making this video! I read this book after I saw u mention it in your videos. I loved it but after I heard you talk about it... I love it even more❤️❤️❤️

I absolutly love Kawabata and this was such an amazing video. A petition for you to narrate books because wow that entry

This is what book reviewers here on KZfaq should strived to do when making their own reviews. 10/10.

Your reviews are brilliant. I mean.. Girl!! You are an inspiration. I have to admit that every time you make me want to devour every book you are talking about. That is such a rare talent, believe me. Congratulations! You have won not only my admiration, but my trust as well. Wish you the best. Always! ♥️

this is one of the best and poignant reviews I’ve ever watched from a booktuber, I immediately went to order this book cus it’s been in my mind for awhile and you rlly just convinced me, sending my love from malaysia

What a beautiful video!! I'd definitely like to see more reviews of single books done in this format; i think it suits you. I had this book in my tbr, but this made me even more excited to read it 😊

I love this, Emma! 💜 Everytime I finish a book, I like to write a review for myself, so it was super interesting to hear your interpretations and thought process. Really looking forward to your future reviews 🌹🌿

Great video Emma, I will definitely add this book to my TBR. I enjoyed this one book review video!!

Hey Emmie! Snow Country is one of my favorite novels and ignited my love for Japanese literature! Seriously consider reading "Snow" by Orhan Pamuk! The use of nature, geography and snow to convey themes of isolation, provincialism, and the performative element of existence is right up your alley!

I am a young man from Brazil and love Kawabata,my favorite writer. Love japanese literature,poetry,calligraphy,ink paintings,wood block prints,theatre,gardening,martial arts,zen aesthetics. Love asian art in general,its paintings,sculptures,music, architecture

Fantastic review. Thank you for giving me the eyes I lacked when I read this book. Totally all makes sense now.

I would love to see more reviews like this. Really well done

Love your analysis, it gave me goosebumps, brilliant 😍👏

Beautiful review, I just finished reading the book myself and I can feel how it will stay with me for a long time. Thanks!

this comment is obviously quite late, but the review was GORGEOUS! nothing has made me want to pick up a book more, I will find it the next time I'm in a bookstore!

I’m so glad you loved the book. It has been one of my favorites since being made to read it in the late 1990s. A Japanese politics and culture class in college. You did an exquisite job with this review.

Glad this video popped up on my general feed! I put this book on my TBR!! 😃

Listening to you was lovely enough, looking forward to reading it all the more ❤️

Iam going to order this book right away 😊 Your videos are so calming by the way.. Keep it up 👍

So beautiful video! I loved the beginning 😍

I absolutely loved the book. And after this review, I fell in love with the book more, that was the power of your beautiful review. Hugs ❤❤

Great review, beautiful book! I snatched it out of my to-read list right after you mentioned it with so much delight. The night sky descriptions are fascinating as well, the Milky Way flowing through the body... 😍 It really felt like touching the eternity with those final pages.

The happiness this video brings me after a tiring day

yes! more japanese lit to read! I've been meaning to read his work and now this is my sign to do so asap! loved the little snow scenes put in the intro and in between your review!

Your review inspired me to go order this book immediately after I finished. Can't wait to get to experience this masterpiece firsthand!

Loved the video! I was journaling at the same time and the atmosphere was very peaceful

What a great video! Thank you so much for creating it. It was lovely and very interesting. I read The Sound of the Mountain by Kawabata and I feel like I probably missed a lot, I definitely would enjoy reading more :)

What a wonderful book review! I enjoyed it so very very much. Beautiful images real and read....

yasss please do more videos like this 🥺

I love this concept and I can't wait to read it!

This is a stellar book review of Snow Country.

Thank-you so much for your review. I read this book in my second language so it was really nice to hear what would be said based on English.

First of all. Emma, you are looking really beautiful, cant resist saying it. Secondly, these type of reviews are so good and soothing. Plus the clips that you attached in some points of video was sooooo beautiful. Love yourrr workkk smmmmmm Keep it upp lady!

It's been years since I've read this book but it's definitely still one of the best books I've had the pleasure to read in my life. Kawabata's writing style is so beautiful. I think it should be due for a re-read now that I've had the experience of living in a remote and very snowy onsen town in Japan...

Love the explaining shade of emotions.☕☕

Omg the intro I thought for a minute I started a movie! It was soooo good!!!!

Your channel is so unique, and cozy, and calm...

Great. Looking forward to watch your review on kawabata's beauty and sadness too.

The opening of the video is so beautiful... Keep up the good work Emma💛💛👍

Oh the ending... truly heartbreaking, one of the kind of ending which makes your heart full.

Nice Video. I would love to hear more from you. Your thoughts, symbolism and so one ... Snow country is on my tbr list...thank you for your work in this video.

Just heard about this from a friend. Lucky to find this book review.

Excellent review of one of my favorite books.

Thank you for this video, it is so lovely. I read this book and tbh i didn't understand many subtext/symbolism in the book. Watching this video really give mw new perspective on many elements in this book, and you pointed out so many things i missed. Thanks. one of the reason i didn't really get all the meaning behind snow is because where i live doesn't have snow at all(equator zone😂) To me, snow is something you see in movies/videos. Either that or you have to travel to other countries just to see snow. Saying you have seen snow implies your privilege, not negative feeling or loneliness/coldness or those stuff. thank you for helping me understand this book so much more.❄️

Nearly summer here but I feel so cozy just by watching this. ♡

Yesssss please more book reviews

Shimamura’s approach to art and life seems to be a purely objective experience which is quite interesting given that there is always a subjective interpretation of both art and life that is so imbued with our perception of them both, that we hardly recognise that we’re experiencing OURSELVES through the art we see and the life we live, in general. What Kawabata here has attributed to Shimamura’s character is possibly a part of a new literary movement that he and Riichi Yokomitsu (another Japanese writer) embarked upon, called ‘Shinkankakuha’, which essentially means ‘art for art’s sake’. This could possibly explain why this distanced and objectified view of art and life were so integral within the character of Shimamura in Snow Country.

Wonderful book review! This novel has been on my radar for some time. I'll have to see if I own it; if I do, I'll bring it down from the library and place it on the nightstand so I can get to it sooner than later. Cheers!

I hope you do more like this 💕

i am reading and enjoying the book now thank you for your review

amazing vid. amazing review. added to shopping cart.

Very beautiful, I really love this mini review

Really enjoyed this.

You convinced me to give the novel a go, thanks!

I loved this book a lot!

Would you please do one like these on The Picture of Dorian Grey? I know there probably are many reviews on it but I really like your analysis and voice!!

Oh my goodness I just discovered your channel and I cannot believe you reviewed this as your first book- one of my favorites as someone studying Japanese lit. If you have time, check out Kokoro by Natsume Soseki.

i'd love if you make more videos in this style

hey, i just read this too. thanks for the video

love your voice so much

love this book, so cozy

Really enjoyed this. Recently read Snow Country, but you revealed many aspects i'd ignored. I could tell however that there was some remaining distance between Shimamura and Komako, even after they became lovers. I put it down the Japanese restraint around emotions, and saw Komako as the more unusual as she played showing her hand. Such a sad ending-is the author trying to say Komako is permanently insane? Overall a dreamy book which hides subtle secrets for a western reader, Love in the west and love in 1950's Japan are by know means identical.

Love this review! I need to experience this! Lol

I honestly wasn’t that impressed when I read the book, maybe because I didn’t pay enough attention to the form or whatever but after watching your video I understand it so much better and my opinion has changed for the better. Hopefully I’ll read it again and I’ll get to appreciate it more taking into the account the important things you said :)

Very nice review of this book, also liked the interspersed videos. I love this book and probably need to read it again because I always find something I missed on first reading. I also read The Master of Go which is quite good if you understand the rise of young go player under the master to become the new master as the old master fades in strength. Might be more appreciated by those who know how to play the game and the struggle for life and death that takes over the mind of the players. When Googles AI Go program beat a strong go master in a match, I thought that the human play was quite devastated having been beaten by a computer but that is a side story not part of this book.

🖤🖤

Howwww are you uploading sooo much

girl, I wish you well

❤️

clear and deep review and your video is very beautiful . I'm Japanese southern female and I couldn't enjoy with this book because of loser Komako Endless struggling love game for make living in amazingly beautiful white snow world in 1930s . Shimamura had no choice but just kept let her down truthfully over and over again. Komako kept her professional cheerfulness with alcohol thankfully. same kind of love affair is everywhere surrounded by modern building with gorgeous neon / LED lights made by 21century's technology. Your voice is so much tenderer and also specific.

omg im being forced to read it in school I was hating it so much until watching this vid... wish literature was a subject that isn't graded but something we could just solely enjoy :((

With the slightest effort it becomes immediately apparent why haiku fits around snow like an old dog around a kitten.

Can anyone explain me please 🥺 "A girl who had been sitting on the other side of the car came over and opened the window in front of Shimamura." Q.1.That sentence means Yoko and Yukio came together from the car?Or the car was on the other side of the train?Where was the car located? "Last year we had so much that the trains were always being stopped by avalanches, and the whole town was kept busy cooking for them." Q.2.In that sentence 'cooking for them' means due to avalanches the whole town were busy clearing the snow?Right? "The midnight for Tokyo" Q.3.That sentence was Komako said during dead-drunk night, what meaning? Q.4.The man from Hamamatsu and the coast man (Komako "one man" when she met sixteen) were same person? "A freight train roared past. A boy was waving his hat in the door of a black freight car." Q.5.That sentences mean both train and car coming at the same time while Saichiro calling Yoko? "Komako's hair was coming undone, and her throat was bare and arched.His fingers trembled from the urge to touch it.His hand was warm,but Komako's still warmer." Q.6.That sentence means in Shimamura's imagine, Komako was burned with fire.Not real burning image right?